ordered a Garmin 60CX...need advice on maps

Based on about a zillion threads here, I finally decided on a Garmin 60CX (and I didn't even have to post a "what gps should I get?" thread). I ordered a refurished unit for $200. Seemed like a good deal and in my budget.

I'm a bit confused on maps, though.

I plan to rider the OBDCR. I have gpx files from other people that have ridden it, but I need to figure out what maps I may need for the trip.

I was unable to determine from Garmin's site what the basemap is, but I doubt it's a topo.

Basically, I'm looking for recommendations on maps. 24k topo, 100k topo, or road and rec?
Mostly I want to see route options. Knowing the closest gas station would be nice as well.

I have a Ram mount from my now borken Legend, so I'll just order a different cradle and will also get the hard-wired power cable.

Thanks,

mcp

Great and FREE topo can be had at gpsfiledepot.com.... check it out.

Also openstreetmap.com has you covered for for the rest. Also free.

Start off by installing Garmin Basecamp on your computer. OSM maps will work, but you do get what you pay for. They come up short on POI's. I haven't had much luck using them for address searches. But the road detail is good. Using BC and the route files you have, you can see on the pc just how detailed a set of maps are.

http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/basecamp#fragment-4
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/
http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

daryl

Seems like a good deal, where did you buy it? I've been looking at them too.



1911fan

Great deal is brand new 76Cx from WestMarine.com for $150 when on sale.

Just spend another $85 and get City Nav and be done with it and have good routalble maps. Bettery yet try to find old copy of Roads & Rec on e-bay.

If you end up with MapSource, it will work fine with your 60 but BaseCamp is new standard.

Thought I would jump in here and ask a few related questions. Is CityNav you are refering to the preloaded memory card. Or is it possible to load CN from CD disk to a 60csx. I have a CN v8 disk that came with my zumo but haven't looked at whether I can load it to the 60csx.My Zumo is dead and i am not quite ready to pull the trigger on the Montana, so going back to the 60 for now. I have topo maps loaded but would like to get CN on it for routing.

I have been using a 60cx for about 5 years.

The most useful mapset is City Navigator. But I also use Topos 100k a lot. The Topos show a lot of dirt roads that do not show up on CN. I would bet nearly all of the OBDR roads are on CN.

As I understand it the BDRs are designed to be big bike friendly and that usually means pretty major roads.

I have recently gotten my hands on the 24k Topos and am just learning how to use them effectively.

BTW I just splurged and bought a Montana. My main excuse was that the 60 is hard to see when riding into the sun.

Give us a break, hard to see, my ass!
You just finally gave in to the constant harang from Dan the we are in the dark ages!

Never get CN on chip, get the disc but it can only be downloaded to ONE GPS.

Your disc is probably locked to TU Zumo, Garmin may let you transfer it to new 60. Others may help you.

City Navigator may be locked to the Nuvi, preventing you from loading it to any other gps. But you could buy a new version of CN dvd for about $75 from gpscity.com

Probably not worth buying the map if you intend the 60 to be a stopgap before getting a Montana, though. Try OSM or IBYCUS maps for free.

Garmin is very unlikely to transfer the licence of a map from a Zumo to a 60. No point in raising false hopes.

And the beauty of having CN on a chip is that you can put it in any gps you own. Or sell it, if it comes to that.

In fact, I just might put my spare City Navigator chip up for sale.

I tried to go through the garmin website process and get it unlocked but it does appear that it is locked to the zumo. What would be the disadvantage to using CN on chip? I was thinking as mentioned by poster above that it would be transferable to another device. If I do get a Montana someday I would probably buy a disk. I thought I heard that the disk could be used for 2 devices. thanks for the help.

Garmin used to allow two unlocks on some of the older products but they don't any more.

And the main disadvantage is that you can't update the maps on a chip.

But then you can't update maps if you choose the "download" version as well.

So, the chip version can be moved from unit to unit? Without needing new/extra codes?

That is the first thing I have heard about the chips that sounds worthwhile. I haven't followed them closely because (I thought, could be wrong here) you couldn't load the chip data to your computer to keep a history of your travels, I know the waypoints and track could be saved but without a map it didn't hold my interest.

I really do love my 60CSx, and with the deals out there (as they head toward being unsupported), I would buy one for each bike or to have as a spare if they had not made the software (buy a copy or unlock code for each unit) such a PIA.


Bruce

Yes, you can move it from unit to unit, as long as they support micro or regular SD cards. No license at all.

And with newer gps units, maps on the gps are available through BaseCamp, for trip planning, while the gps is plugged into the computer.

I don't know if the 60 works this way - it's possible it may work if you switch it to "Mass Storage Mode" when it's plugged in via usb to the computer.

This is one source of those cards: http://www.gpscentral.ca/accessories/accessoriespreprogrammedmicroSD.html

And this is the Micro SD version of City Navigator: http://www.gpscity.com/garmin-city-navigator-north-america-card.html

Here's the description:

Manufacturer Description
MapSource City Navigator North America NT features full access to City Navigator North America NT maps, which feature coverage of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, plus new additional islands in the Caribbean. Get up-to-date, fully-routable maps with over 6 million miles (10 million kilometers) of road coverage and 6.5 million points of interest including restaurants, hotels, ATMs, entertainment and more.

Please note: This MicroSD card ships with a standard SD adapter. Please remove the card from the adapter if necessary for use with your GPS unit.

Pre-programmed datacards:
Pre-programmed datacards can be immediately installed for use in your device. Simply unpack the card and insert it into your compatible GPS device. These maps do not need to be unlocked to your device which allows you to use the card with multiple units if desired. However, you will not have access to the mapping on your computer. Maps in this format will need to be purchased separately when a new version is released.

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This is wrong: "However, you will not have access to the mapping on your computer"

It may have been true before BaseCamp, but it's no longer accurate.

Driven GPS (off their ebay store)

Thanks so much! I have been 'stuck' in the last millenia for a while, hopefully next week will see my dial-up get replaced with broadband and I can do some of my own research. First up will be to learn about BaseCamp which I am presuming took the place of MapSource.

Bruce

It arrived today.
Looks new and unused as expected. Oh, and it caem with a 2GB card.
downloaded topos from gps file depot and loaded up the tracks and routes I had collected via BaseCamp. The unit came with MapSource, but since BaseCamp is newer, I used it.

It took my a while to understand how to create routes from tracks, reverse them, and break them up into legs that made sense to me, but I finally got it down after a few restarts.

My only problem now is that the routes have lots of waypoints in them and they are displaying all the time. I figured out how to turn off the symbols in the unit itself, but can't get the labels to go away. There are so many it's hare to see the actual route!

I find a way in BaseCamp to hide the labels, but I can't do it for all the waypoints at once and I have somewhere around 500 total to do.

Any tips? are the gdb files editable (I'm pretty good with text editors and macros).?

Thanks,

mcp

I sympathize with you about the screen being cluttered with waypoint names.

I think the best solution is to convert the routes to tracks and just navigate by following the tracks. Don't even bother downloading the routes and those annoying waypoints.

Or I guess one thing you could do is recreate the routes in BaseCamp using the route tool. This will put via points instead of waypoints. The vias will not show unless you are actually navigating a route. If you have City Navigator, you will rarely need a lot of via points to follow the roads you want.